Locomotive signaling attachment



I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

P. J. WENKE-R.

Locombtive Signaling Attachment. No. 227,936; Patented ma zs, 18 80.

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- wrriEssEw a" V mvEman ATTORNEYS:

N-FETERS, PHDTO-UTNOGMPHER,WASHINGTON. D. C.

w 2 Sheets-Sheet? F. J. WENKER. Locomotive Signaling Attachment,

No: 227,936. Patented May 25, I880.

IfI'ZESSESW d. I Mi INVENTOR ATTORNEYS N- PETERS, PHOTO-UTHOGRAPNER,WASHINGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

FRANKLIN J. WENKER, OF\GLYMAN, WISCONSIN.

LOCOMOTIVE SIGNALING ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 227,936, dated May 25,1880,

Application filed December 29, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN J. WENKER, of Glyman, in the county ofDodge and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Signaling Attachments for Locomotives; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and or act description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form part of this specification. My invention relatestoan improvement in signaling attachments for railroad locomotives, theobject being to provide a signaling device which shall be of small cost,of few parts, and readily applied for use to indicate, by one or morestrokes of a bell in the cab of a locomotive-engine, any particularpoint on the road-as, for instance, a certain distance from a town orcity or draw-brid ge-where the train must be stopped; and to this end myinvention consists in certain details in construction and combinationsof parts, as will 2 5 hereinafter be described, and pointed out intheclaims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of alocomotive-engine with my improvement applied thereto, and the sig- 0nal-actuating device attached to the ties of the track. Fig. 2 is adetached view of the device. Fig. 3 is a modification. Ais the cab of alocomotive-engine, to the floor B of which, or'at any other suitableplace 3 5 on the cab, is pivoted the end a of the actuating-lever G.

Lever O is formed with a bifurcated lower r end, consisting of the arms1), between which is journaled the roller 1), while at any desired 40point in the length of said lever is formed a horizontal portion, 0,within which is located an elongated slot, d. The lower end of avertical lift-rod, E, is mortised, and provided with a pin or bolt, 0,which extends through 5 the elongated slot (1. The rod E is retained inits vertical position by means of the guideways F, and, owing to itspeculiar connection with the lever 0, may be readily raised by impartinga vertical movement to the lower end of the latter.

The upper end of lift-rod E, is mortised,

and provided with a pin or bolt, f, which extends through an elongatedslot, 9, formed in the bell-hammer G, the latter being pivoted at h. Thefree end h of a spring, H, rests upon the upper side of hammer G, whilea short spiral or other spring, I, is placed on any suitable support, K,(see Fig. 2,) placed below the hammer to support it in a yieldingmanner.

L is a bell located in close proximity to the free end i of thebell-hammer.

To the adjacent ties of the track, at any desired place, is secured thecurved bar or plate M, the ends of which are sharpened, as at m, andprovided with shoulders m, to allow the bar to be readily driven intothe ties, when it is retained in position, the shoulders serving toprevent it from being driven downward beyond a certain point, and thusinsure a certainty and uniformity in the operation of the signal.

The actuating-bars may be secured in any desired numbers to the track tosound the bell any predetermined number of times, for the purpose ofautomatically indicating to the engineer the approach of the train to astation or stopping-place.

A single one of the actuating-bars may be secured at any desireddistance from a certain station, and thus, when the locomotive reachessuch point, the roller on the lower end of the actuating-lever O strikesthe curved surface formed by the upper edge of the actuating or lift barM, raises the same, and simultaneously lifts the lift-rod E and raisesthe bellhammer against the downward force of its spring. As the rolleron the lever 0 leaves the actuatingbar M the end of lever 0 drops by itsgravity, and thus allows the hammer to strike the bell but a singleblow. Other stations may be furnished with two or any number of theactuating bars or plates M, in order that the bell may be sounded anydesired number of times in succession.

Fig. 3 is a construction embodying the same principle of operation. Inthis latter form of construction the actuating-lever N is pivoted at n,and the lift bar or rod 0 is pivoted to the upper end of the lever, asat 0.

The upper end of the lift bar or rod is pivoted to the rear end of ahammer-lever, as at 9, said hammer-lever being centrally pivoted at q.

It will be observed that my improved signaling attachment is very simplein its construction, and may be applied to any locomotive at aninsignificant cost.

I am aware that locomotives have been provided with a signalingattachment, consisting, essentially, of a vertically-reciprocating barheld in place within suitable guideways, the lower end of said barhaving a roller journaled therein, which operates, in conjunction withcurved abutments placed outside the rails, to raise said bar at anydesired time, the upper end of the bar being connected by intermediatedevices with a bell or whistle; but

said form of signaling attachmentis defective in operation, for thereason that the actuatingbar is subjected to severe lateral strain whenthe locomotive is running at high speed, owing to the fact that it mustbe moved at right angles to the movement of the locomotive, and henceundue strain is imparted to the bar, its guides, and roller-journals,whereby the devices are liable to become disarranged and inoperative.

' I am also aware that cars and locomotives have been provided with ashort swinging lever, provided with rollers at opposite ends, the lowerroller operating, in connection with a curved or inclined abutment, todepress the upper rollertand force the same in contact with the arm of arock-shaft which transmits motion to devices for operating a signal, andhence I would have it understood thatI make no. claim to suchconstruction and combination of parts.

In my improved signaling attachment the signal is sounded by themovement of a lever which is pivoted to the cab-floor, while its longarm projects rearwardly, and is provided with a roller which is raisedby a curved bar secured to the ties of the track, whereby a swingingmovement is imparted to the lever, which movement is transmitted to thebell by means of a connecting-rod pivoted to the actuating-lever.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with a curved bar, M, provided with sharpened ends andshoulders m, said bar adapted to be driven into the ties of a track, ofa locomotive signaling attachment consisting of the actuating-lever O,pivoted to the cab at a, and provided at its lower end with roller D,the lift-rod E, provided with a pin, a, engaging in the elongated slot61 in lever 0, and bell-hammers G, provided with elongated slot 9, inwhich engages a pin,f, attached to the upper end of rod E, and springs Hand I, engaging with the upper and lower sides of the bell-hammer,substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 6 har e hereunto set my handthis 6th day of December, 1879.

FRANKLIN J. WENKER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES END, JOSEPHINE END.

